Solid biological waste, such as medical and surgical waste, dental waste, veterinary waste, mortuary waste, laboratory waste and the like, frequently includes unabsorbed fluids and is sometimes mixed with a decontaminating liquid as a result of decontamination techniques. In biological waste disposal systems, solid biological waste is frequently disintegrated, or minced, into particles and washed with a decontaminating liquid to prepare the waste for disposal. Mixtures of biological waste with body fluids and used decontaminating agents are unsightly and handling such waste can be obnoxious to some people.
It is desirable to dispose of solid biological waste in a substantially non-wet state. In addition, it is desirable and convenient to dispose of biological waste fluids, such as used decontaminating agents, separately, for example, by the use of sanitary sewers. Accordingly, the convenient and effective removal and separation of decontaminants and other liquids from the biological waste prior to their disposal is desirable, and there is a need for a method and apparatus for removing liquids, such as used decontaminants, from biological waste materials, permitting their separate and convenient disposal.